Author: William Schaefbauer III

The Sacraments and Grace of The Catholic Church

“A Sacrament is a holy, visible sign instituted by Christ of an invisible reality.”(Paragraph 171 Youcat). There are 7 different types of Sacraments. The first Sacrament is called Baptism and what Baptism does is cleanses you from your original sin. The second Sacrament is called Reconciliation and Reconciliation is when you confess your sins to a priest. The third Sacrament is called First Communion and First Communion is the first time you receive Christ's body and blood. The fourth Sacrament is called Confirmation and Confirmation is when you get blessed by the bishop and receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit. The fifth Sacrament is either Holy Orders or Matrimony. Holy Orders is the process of joining the Priesthood and Matrimony is going to get married. The final Sacrament is called Anointing of the Sick and this sacrament is the blessing of those who are really sick or are about to die. They are anointed with oil to heal them from their sins and cleanse them from wrongdoing.

WHAT IS A SACRAMENT???

The Eastern Church calls the Sacraments “mysteries” because they want to emphasize the mysterious works of the Holy Spirit. They have the same “mysteries” but some of them are said (new word) differently. They call Confirmation “Chrismation” which is the same process. Anointing of the Sick is called Mystery of the Anointing, and it is the same as what the Roman Catholic Church does. Finally, the Sacrament of Marriage is called the Mystery of Crowning.

EASTERN CHURCH

The Sacraments allow us to come back to God and be forgiven. This forgiveness is God’s grace. God’s grace enables each person to turn back to God and to remain united with God through this life and through eternity. God gives us his unseen grace into our spiritual souls through material symbols which our physical bodies can perceive--things and words and gestures.

The first thing the Sacraments give us is called sanctifying grace. Sanctifying grace is that marvelous supernatural life, that sharing-in-God’s-own-life that is the result of God’s Love, the Holy Spirit, indwelling in the soul. The main Sacraments that we receive this sanctifying grace is from Baptism and Reconciliation. The reason for this is that they open the soul up to allow God’s love to come into us. The other five Sacraments give us an increase of this sanctifying grace.

Another type of grace that the Sacraments give out is called sacramental grace. This grace is received through all the Sacraments. This is just an additional grace that is received from God and will help get you closer to God.

Grace

The Church and The Sacramental Economy of Salvation

Jesus said in John 6: 51-55 "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. . . . For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink". This tells us that receiving the Eucharist is just like receiving God and that we should embrace that. This also tells us that with us receiving God we are receiving his grace too. Jesus being present to us in the Sacraments gives us the opportunities to receive his graces.

The Church is an effective sign of communion with God through Christ in his power through the Holy Spirit. This communion brings us together as brothers and sisters of Christ because we share a common faith by going through the Sacraments. The way this happens is because Christ instituted the Church.

There’s no denying it. The sacraments are the heart and soul of the Catholic Faith. A sacramental worldview involves seeing the divine in the human, the invisible in the visible, and the grace of God working through ordinary people and objects. When one develops a sacramental worldview, he realizes how unfathomable invisible reality is.

The way that the Church is a sacrament is because it is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. The one means that we are all part of the same body. Holy refers to the consecration by God through the election and the grace offered to his people. Catholic means universal and also means sent to proclaim Christ to the whole world in the hope that all leaders of the peoples will gather with the people of the God of Abraham. Finally, Apostolic means In accordance with Christ's command, his Apostles must go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that he has commanded them.

There are many different signs and symbols throughout the 7 Sacraments. In Baptism, It is our first step in a lifelong journey of commitment and discipleship. In the Sacrament of Communion, it is both a sacrifice and a meal for us. Reconciliation has three elements: conversion confession, and celebration. All of these elements we will find God’s unconditional love for us. Confirmation deepens the relationship with God and renews the baptismal rites. Marriage is a public sign that gives oneself totally to this other person. Holy Orders is to lead others in the Holy Sacraments. Anointing of the Sick are to help heal emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

Through Christ’s teachings he has shown us a lot of signs that could help us in the Sacraments. Christ’s teachings and most of Jesus’ life show us that living our lives through God it will help us through our journey of life. God's plan for salvation through Jesus and the Body of the Church, in it's life and sacraments. God is always present in the world, offering gift of salvation and humanity. Even through the oils are used in the sacraments they are showing us that they are signs of Christ as an ambassador of the Church.

In the liturgy, all Christian prayer finds its source and goal. Through the liturgy man is rooted in love with Christ who loves us. It is the same marvelous work of God that is lived and internalized by all prayer, It is through prayer that one's mind and heart is being raising to God or the requesting of good things from God.he definition of prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit. Since, this is so the communion of life is always possible because we have already been united with Christ. Prayer is communion with Christ and continues into the body of the church. In mass the Liturgy of the Hours is intended to become the prayer of the whole People of God.